Deco Pizza's wings aren't the classic fried offerings, and in this case, that's a good thing.

Deco Pizza's wings aren't the classic fried offerings, and in this case, that's a good thing.

Photo: KIN MAN HUI, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

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Wingstop offers a variety of flavors, including the Atomic, Cajun and original.

Wingstop offers a variety of flavors, including the Atomic, Cajun and original.

Photo: Courtesy

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The chicken wings from the Hyatt Regency's Q Restaurant are slightly messy and spicy with a touch of sweetness.

The chicken wings from the Hyatt Regency's Q Restaurant are slightly messy and spicy with a touch of sweetness.

Photo: TOM REEL, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Super guide to wings

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Chicken wings go with Super Bowl Sunday like tamales on Christmas and seafood on Ash Wednesday. Nationally, Americans will devour more than 100 million pounds of chicken wings, according to the National Chicken Council. That's more than 1.25 billion wing portions.

At Wingstop, one of the country's biggest wing chains, sales are 290 percent higher on Super Bowl Sunday than an average Sunday, and the franchise expects to serve 5.6 million wings next Sunday.

It's almost enough to make you reach for some antacid right now — or maybe some blue cheese dressing, depending on your constitution.

A lot of bars, pizza joints and restaurants serve wings, but they're not always good.

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In the course of at least three restaurant visits per week over the past couple of years, we have tried more wings than many would think is possible. Here are 10 excellent versions in alphabetical order by restaurant, ranging from traditional to kind of funky.

The Lowdown: Of the four varieties of wings, the Original Breaded Crispy is the best choice. They have a very light breading with a texture almost like crushed crackers and are crisp, a little hot and spicy, and tender on the inside. If these are not the best in town, they're close.

Cost: $3.69 (6 pieces), $7.25 (12 pieces), $11.99 (20 pieces)

Sauce that says it all

Where: Attaboy Burgers, 1338 E. Houston St. at Cherry, 210-320-2192

The Lowdown: Described perfectly on the menu as “hot, fresh, tangy and sweet,” these wings are all of the above. They are sufficiently covered in a sauce that gives a nice kick and are served with sweet sticks (fresh sweet potatoes).

The Lowdown: These wings are bigger than most, more heavily breaded than some, and plenty spicy, crispy and juicy. These come served with an Asian sauce and your choice of blue cheese or ranch dressing — if only the ranch were homemade ...

The Lowdown: The big, meaty wings received Express-News Critics' Choice last year. They can be ordered in a variety of flavors — the popular Tiger sauce, House BBQ, Parmesan, Sweet and Spicy, Sweet Pequin and Hot Pequin.

Cost: $5.99 (7 pieces); $19.99 (25 pieces)

Crunch on these

Where: Chatman's Chicken, 1792 S. W.W. White Road, 210-359-0245

The Lowdown: Chatman's Chicken uses a nice, crisp batter that coats the exterior of these pieces of fried chicken in a smaller form. The crust shatters into little pieces of deliciousness when you take a bite.

The Lowdown: This isn't your typical sports-bar variety. These spicy chicken wings come topped with an Asian-inspired sweet/hot sauce and bits of green onion, and have all the snap you'd want. You'll need plenty of napkins with this one.

The Lowdown: On the plate, the whole wings make a statement of abundance and exemplify the generous portions here. They taste a lot like Popeye's, and for good reason — restaurant founder Al Copeland also created the Cajun chicken chain.

The Lowdown: These aren't classic fried wings, and in this case, that's a good thing. We're not privy to what goes on in the kitchen, but these taste as though they've been dipped in an egg wash, then given a light coat of fine bread crumbs. They're juicy and tender on the inside, crisp and crunchy on the outside. For dipping, choose from a great homemade ranch dressing or Buffalo sauce.

Cost: $5.99 (6 pieces), $9.99 (12 pieces), $14.99 (20 pieces)

Kickin' chicken wings

Where: Q on the Riverwalk, 123 Losoya at the Hyatt Regency downtown, 210-222-1234.

The Lowdown: Slightly messy and spicy with a touch of sweetness, the Cantonese sauce is the best choice here by far. Lots of places will add a cloying sauce and call it Asian, but this place pulls it off nicely. Perfect for a happy hour, or to make nearly any other hour a little happier.

Cost: $9 (9 pieces)

Efficiency at its finest

Where: Wingstop, multiple locations, wingstop.com

The Lowdown: There's a reason Wingstop is so popular. After an order is placed, it's a swift 14 minutes before they are served. Flavors include Atomic, Cajun, Original Hot, Mild, Hickory Smoked BBQ, Lemon Pepper, Garlic Parmesan, Hawaiian, Teriyaki. And there are more options — regular, boneless, boneless strips and gliders. These guys really are experts.